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"For me?" I asked

She smiled "For you Welco would disappear

Lincoln wanted to put Eer than nor ht when I put her to bed, and I was sure she was giving him the same issues I tiptoed down the hallway and didn’t hear screa into the room, I found the two spread out sound asleep in the full-sized bed, with Lincoln’s feet hanging over the end of the bed fra up behind me "I don’t knoho’s more excited to be reunited, Lincoln or E rooest wine bottles I’d ever seen

"Are you trying to get hed

She sht just have to" Kathy and I had always been so close After growing up with a ether with Steven,Kathy was such a breath of fresh air She welcoo When she found out I was pregnant with Emma, she cried even more than I did

"I feel awful that I kept thelass of wine and staring down the hallway toward Emma’s rooedies happen and there are children involved, you don’t think, you just act You do what you think is best--you go into survival mode And you can’t blame yourself for that"

"Yeah But, I feel like I ran away for me, not for Emma It was just too much forhere She missed it" My eyes watered over "And I should’ve visited you and Lincoln I should’ve calledher elbows against her kneecaps "Now listen to ht now, at 10:42 pht now is the ive yourself Lincoln and I understood We knew you needed space Don’t feel as if you owe us an apology, because you don’t"

I wiped away the few tears that slipped out frohed, embarrassed

"You knohat makes the tears stop?" she asked

"What’s that?"

She poured lass of wine S, and theit felt to laugh She asked about my mom, and I couldn’t help but wrinklethe same mistakes with the same types of people I wonder if there’s a point where people can never be found any to be this way"

"You love her?"

"Always Even when I don’t like her"

"Then don’t give up on her Even if you need your space for a while Love her and believe in her coet so wise?" I asked She slass toward lass Very smart wooing to go into town and look for some work, maybe see if Matty needs an extra hand or two at the café"

"How about we keep her for the weekend? It could be great for you to have a few days to yourself We can even start up our Friday night sleepovers again Anyway, I don’t think Lincoln is planning on giving her up any ti for you Plus, every tio into the café, Faye says, ‘How’sshe’ll want some one-on-one time with you"

I hadn’t seen Faye since Steven had passed away Even though we talked almost daily, she understood that I needed the space I hoped she would understand that now I needed

"I know thisyour business up and running again?" Kathy asked

Steven and I had started In & Out Design three years before He handled the exterior of hons for individuals and businesses We had a shop right in don Meadows Creek, and it was some of the best times of my life, but the truth of the ht inwith his business degree There would be no way for ree in Meadows Creek pretty avepeople overpriced recliners or I could go back to e roots and work in food service

"I don’t know Probably not, though Without Steven it just doesn’t seem possible I just need to find soo of that drea new dreaood at your job, Liz And it s that make you most happy"

After Kathy and Lincoln decided to head home, I fumbled with the locks on ed months before With a yawn, I headed toward my bedroom and stood in the doorway The bed was perfectly th to enter the room yet It seemed almost like a betrayal to crawl into the bed and close my eyes without him beside me